sisson



Aug. 15, 1961 k. 0. SISSON DOMESTIC APPLIANCE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oflginal Filed Jan. 31, 1955 INVENTOR. Kenneth 0. Sisson His Attorney Aug. 15, 1961 K. o. SISSON DOMESTIC APPLIANCE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Jan. 31, 1955 IN VEN TOR ney United States Patent Cifice Patented Aug. 15, 1961 2,995,916 DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Kenneth 0. Simon, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich a corporation of Delaware Original application Ian. '31, 1955, Ser. No. 485,181. Di-

vided and this application May 22, 1958, Ser. No. 737,173

9 Claims. (CI. 68-12) This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 485,181, filed January 31, 1955, now Patent No. 2,870,834.

This invention relates to a domestic appliance and more particularly to control systems for automatic washing machines.

When introduced, automatic washing machines provided the same amount of water and the same time periods for agitation and drying regardless of the amount or types of clothes. Since then some washers have been provided with means for shortening the agitation periods and some have been provided with means for reducing the amount of water used for small loads.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple effective means for reducing the amount of water used for small loads. a

It is another object of this invention to not only reduce the amount of water used but also to reduce the other operating times for small loads.

It is another object of this invention to provide a simple means for reducing the amount of water used during the rinsing cycle only.

It is another object of this invention to provide simple means for changing the temperature of the water provided for the tub of the washing machine with or without changing other portions of the operating cycle.

These and other objects are obtained in the form shown in the drawings in which the timing drive means is connected to the cam operated switch means through two difierent sets of gearing providing two different operating speeds for the cam operated switch mechanism. A selective control is provided so that the switch means may be operated to make effective either of said gear connections during either the entire cycle or (hiring any desired period in the cycle.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, partly diagrammatic, of an automatic timing and control system embodying one form of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view in elevation of portion of the controls shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view of the control knob arrangement for changing the length of the periods; and

FIGURE 4 is a view in elevation of a modified form of control.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGURE 1, there is shown a timing drive motor 20 connected through the conductors 22 and 24 to the supply conductor'L, and connected through the conductor 26, the switch contact members 28 and 30 and the conductor 32 and the safety switch 34 to the second supply conductor L The timing drive motor 20 drives a small pinion 36 meshing with a gear 38. This gear 38 is connected through a normally connected wound spring clutch 40withagear42. The gear 42 drives a gear44 eonnected directly to the small pinion 46 which drives a large gear 48 at a normal slow speed.

The large gear 48 is connected to a spring 50 which in turn is connected to a stop plate 52 coaxial with the gear 48 and the spring 50. This stop plate 52 is held from rotation by a slidable detent 54 which is moved to releasing position every one-half revolution of the gear by a cam 56 which is fixed to the gear 48. The stop plate 52 is connected to the pinion 58 which drives the gear 60. This mechanism provides an intermittent movement of the pinion 58 and gear 60 and is similar to the mechanism in Patent 2,227,133 issued December 31, 1940.

The gear 60 intermittently drives a pinion 62. The pinion 62 is the only portion of this gear train which protrudes from the enclosing casing. This pinion 62 meshes with a large gear 64 upon the cam shaft 66. Mounted upon this cam shaft 66 is the spring contact member 30. This contact member 30 may be moved to closed position with the contact 28 by pushing the dial knob 68 on the outer end of the shaft inwardly toward the timer motor 20. The cam shaft 66 moves axially a limited distance with the knob 68 and the spring contact member 30. The cam shaft 66 has a first cam 70 thereon. At the side of this cam 70 is a second or floating cam 72 connected to the first cam 70 by a pin 74 which rides in the long notch 76 in the cam 72 to provide a limited lost motion connection between the cams 70 and 72. The floating cam 72 is connected by a sleeve 78 surrounding the shaft 66 directly to a sector gear 80. When the shaft 66 is pushed in the sector gear 80 will mesh with the pinion 62. A spring finger 67 determines the initial position of the sector gear 80. When the pinion 62 is in mesh with both the sector gear 80 and the gear 64 the earns 70 and 72 are driven in unison. A tension type coil spring 82 connects the sector gear and the cam 70 to hold the pin 74 normally against one end of the notch 76. Further description and disclosure of this mechanism may be found in the Sisson Patent 2,549,025 issued April 17, 1951. To prevent reverse rotation of the cam shaft 66, the gear 60, which is part of the gear train driving the shaft 66, also meshes with a pinion 5 connected to a ratchet wheel 152 controlled by an escapement mechanism 154.

The cams 70 and 72 are provided with portions 84 and 86 which together present portions of reduced diameter to the double throw spring contact member 88 for the purpose of holding it in engagement with the initial fill contact 90. The initial fill contact 90 is connected by a conductor 92 to a double throw selector switch 94 having one contact connecting to a conductor 96 which in turn connects to a conductor 98 for providing an initial fill of all hot water. This conductor 98 connects to the solenoid operating means of a hot water valve 121 provided with a constant flow control. This hot water valve 121 controls the flow of hot water at a constant rate into the tub. This control may be used with many types of automatic washing machines. One example of a washing machine to which this control may be applied is disclosed in the Clark Patent 2,618,141 issued November 18, 1952. This automatic washer disclosed by Clark includes a drive motor 21 and a spin solenoid therein designated by the reference character 24. The hot water valve 121 controls the discharge of hot water at a constant rate into the washing machine tub. This hot water may come directly from a hot water heater which may supply water at a temperature of about F. The solenoid of this hot water valve 121 is connected to the conductor 24;

For an fill-of mixed hot and cold water, the selector switch 94 may be moved as shown in FIGURE 1 to an alternate or second contact connecting with a conductor 123. This conductor 123 connects with e spring type double throw switch member 125. This switch member is operated by a cam 127 directly connected to a gear 129 meshing with the large gear 48. This cam 127 continuously moves the switch member 125 between the contact 131 connected to a conductor 133 connecting to the solenoid operating coil of the hot water valve 121 and a contact 135 connecting through a conductor 137 with the solenoid operating coil of a cold water valve 139. This operating coil connects to the conductor 24. This cold water valve 139 controls the supply of cold water to the tub of the automatic washing machine. Each of these valves preferably has a constant flow device in series with it so that the amount of water supplied is directly proportional to the elapsed time the valves are open. I

By this arrangement, when the contact 88 is in engagement with the contact 90, the selector switch 94 when in its lower-most position will control the valves 121 and 139 to supply all hot water to the tub, while in its upper alternate position, the alternate positioning of the contact 125 will cause the valves 121 and 139 to alternately open and to alternately supply hot and cold water to the tub of the washing machine. The cams 70 and 72 also control the engagement of the contact 88 with the contact 141 connected by the conductor 143 to the drive motor 145 of the automatic washing machine. This motor is also connected by the conductor 147 to the conductor 24. The cam shaft 66 is provided with another cam 149 which operates the double throw switch member 151 either to a neutral position or into contact with either of the contacts 153 or 155. The contact 153 is connected by the conductors 157 and 159 to the cam operated double throw contact member 125 to provide normal rinse fills of alternating hot and cold water. The contact 155 is connected by the conductor 161 to the spin solenoid 163 in turn connected by the conductor 165 to the conductor 24. The spin solenoid controls the spinning of the tub to centrifuge the water out of the tub and out of the clothes in the tub. Additional description and disclosure may be found in my copending application Serial No. 320,598, filed November 14, 1952, now Patent 2,748,585, issued June 5, 1956.

According to this invention, I provide a second gear train which includes a pinion 167 meshing with a small gear 169 connecting directly with the gear 171 which meshes with the gear 129. The gears 167, 169 and 171 are mounted upon a movable plate 173 which is pivoted on the axis of the gear 129. This plate 173 is provided with a notch 175 within which is located a rotatable cam 177. This rotatable cam 177 is connected to a rotatable shaft 179 provided with a dial knob 181. This dial knob in FIGURE 1 is shown in the regular load position. It may also be turned clockwise 90 to a small load position. The dial knob 181 is provided with a notch 183 which may be moved inwardly into engagement with a stationary pin 185 to latch it in the small load position as indicated in FIGURE 3. The movement of the knob 181 and the earn 177 and the plate 173 to the small load position moves the gear 167 into meshing engagement with the gear 38. This provides a second gear train in between the gear 38 and the gear 48 which drives the gear 48 at about a 50% higher rate of speed than is provided by the gears 42, 44 and 46. The overrunning clutch 40 releases to allow the second train gear to take precedence and drive the gear 48 and the remainder of the gear train connection with the cam shaft 66 at a higher rate of speed. This reduces all the fill periods and all the agitation periods and all the spin periods in the same proportion in light loads.

To provide other options for certain periods of the complete cycle, the shaft 179 is provided with an arm 189 and a link 191 connecting with the armature 193 of a solenoid operating coil 195. The armature 193 is normally held in the retracted position by the spring 197 which also tends to turn the shaft 179 and the cam 177 .4 into the position keeping the movable gear 167 out of mesh with the gear 38. The solenoid operating coil 195 is connected by the conductor 220 to the supply conductor 24 and is also connected by the conductor 222 to the normally open switch members 224, '226 and228.

The double throw switch 228 has one closed position connecting with the conductor 230 for energizing the solenoid operating coil 195 during all periods of energiz-ation of the operating coil of the hot water valve 121. This will reduce the time the hot water valve 121 is opened during any of its timed fill periods so that a reduced supply of hot water is provided 'while the same amount of cold water is used. This is useful when the cold water supply is relatively warm or the hot water is abnormally hot. The double throw switch 228 may be moved to its other closed position to connect to the conductor 232 which connects with the cold water valve 139. When in this position, the timed periods for the opening of the cold water valve 139 will be reduced. This will reduce the amount of cold water supplied during each filling period of the cold water valve 139. This is useful when the cold water is abnormally cold or the hot water is abnormally low in temperature.

The switch 224 may be closed to connect through the conductor 234 to the conductor 92 which will energize the solenoid 195 whenever the contact 88 engages the contact 90. This reduces both the hot and cold water fills during the first or wash fill. The switch 226 may be closed to connect to the conductor 159 connecting with the conductor 157. This will cause the solenoid 195 to be energized whenever the contacts 151 and 153 are closed to provide the rinse fills. This reduces the total amount of water provided for the rinse fills.

'Ihus by these additional controls either the hot or the cold water supplies may be reduced or the water supplied either during the initial hot wash fill or the rinse fill or both may be reduced without reducing the agitation or the spin periods during either the initial washing or during rinsing. The knob 68 and the cam shaft 66 may be pulled out to set the sector gear and the cam 72 in different relationships to the gear 64 and the cam 70 so as to advance the initial fill period a lesser or greater amount ahead of the termination of the initial wash period to shorten or lengthen the initial wash period as explained and disclosed in the Sisson Patent 2,549,025 issued April 17, 1951. The cam shaft 66 is provided with a pin 240 cooperating with the cam projection 242 upon the front plate 244 by which at the end of the final drying period the engagement of the pin 240 with the cam surface 242 will move the cam shaft 66 outwardly upon its axis to separate the switch contact members 28 and 30 to stop the operation of the entire timing and control system as well as the washing machine.

In FIGURE 4 there is shown a modified form of two speed gearing arrangements in which an eight tooth drive pinion 321 drives a fifteen tooth gear 323. The fifteen tooth gear323drivesasixteentoothgear325whid1 through a wound spring clutch is connected to a twelve tooth gear 327 in engagement with a large sixty-four tooth gear 329 corresponding to the gear 48 in FIG- URES 1 and 2. This sixty-four tooth gear 329 is connected by a torsion spring to the stop plate 331 normally held by the hold member 333. This M- is like that shown in the Hall Patent No. 2,227,133 issued December 31, 1940. The stop plate 331 is provided with gear 335 meshing with a large gear 337 provided with a drive pinion 339 corresponding to the drive pinion 62 in FIGURE 1. This drive pinion 339 drives the gear 64 and the sector gear 80 in a manner similar to that shown in FIGURE I. The gear 337 also meshes with a pinion 349 connected to a ratchet wheel 351 controlled by an escapement mechanism 353 to prevent reverse rotation of the gear mechanism.

To provide a second gear train when the plate 357 is in the full line position, the eight tooth pinion 321 meshes with a twenty tooth gear 359 mounted upon the movable plate 357. The twenty tooth gear 359 meshes with a thirty-two tooth gear 361 which in turn meshes with the large sixty-four tooth gear 329. The drive from the pinion 321 through the gears 359 and 361 to the large gear 329 provides a faster speed of rotation than the drive through the gears 323, 325 and 327 to the gear 329 which is effectively declutched by the wound spring clutch between the gears 325 and 327. The gear 361 meshes with the gear 363 operating the cam 365 which corresponds to the cam 127 in FIGURE 1. The cam 365 operates the double throw switch member 367 which corresponds to the switch member 125. The switch member 367 is adapted to cooperate with the stationary switch contacts 369 and 371 corresponding to the contacts 131 and 135 in FIGURE 1. A coil spring 373 acts to urge the movable plate about its pivot pin 375 to move the gear 359 into engagement with the pinion 321. The plate 357 is moved to its dotted line position by a cam 375 corresponding to the cam 177 in FIGURE 2. This cam is mounted upon a rotatable shaft 379 corresponding to the shaft 179 in FIGURES 1 and 2. This shaft 379 is provided with an arm 381 connected by a link 383 to the armature 385 of a sole noid 387 corresponding to the armature 193 and solenoid 195 in FIGURE 1. In moving the plate 357 from the full-line position to the dotted-line position, the gear 359 is moved away from and disengaged from the gear 321. The gear 361 is fixed on a rotatable shaft which extends through a clearance hole in the plate 357 and is rotatably mounted in the base 389. In the dotted line position of the plate 357, the pinion 321 drives through the pinions 323 and 325, the wound spring clutch, the pinion 327, the gears 329, 361 and 363. This second form provides a slightly different gearing arrangement than is shown in FIGURE 1 but the method of changing the speed is essentially the same.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood the other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An automatic washing machine control system including a timing drive means, a first electrical control means for cold water, a second electrical control means for hot water, third electrical means for operating an agitating means, fourth electrical means for controlling drying of clothes, switch means operably connected to and operated by said timing drive means for individually energizing said electrical means for predetermined timed periods to control the initial fill and initial agitating and initial drying periods and rinse fill and rinse agitating and final drying periods, means responsive to the switch means controlling one of said fill periods for alternately energizing said first and second electrical control means to provide a mixed water fill, means responsive only to the energization of said first electrical control means for changing the timed periods of said switch means only during the energization of said first electrical control means.

2. An automatic washing machine control system including a timing drive means, a first electrical control means for cold water, a second electrical control means for hot water, third electrical means for operating an agitating means, fourth electrical means for controlling drying of clothes, switch means operably connected to and operated by said timing drive means for individual- 1y energizing said electrical means for predetermined timed periods to control the initial fill and initial agitating and initial drying periods and rinse fill and rinse agitating and final drying periods, means responsive to the switch means controlling one of said fill periods for alternately energizing said first and second electrical control means to provide a mixed water fill, and means responsive only to the energization of said second electrical control means for changing the timed periods of said switch means only during the energization of said second electrical control means.

3. An automatic'washing machine control system including timing drive means, water electrical control and circuit means for controlling water filling, agitating electrical control and circuit means for controlling agitating, drying electrical control and circuit means for controlling drying, a cam shaft provided with cam means, switch means individually operated by said cam means for individually energizing said electrical control and circuit means for predetermined timed periods to control the water filling and agitating and drying periods, first speed reducing gearing connecting said drive means and said cam shaft in a first drive ratio, second gearing providing a second higher speed speed-reducing drive ratio different than said first drive ratio for operating said cam shaft, at a higher rate, electrical operating means for operatively connecting said second gearing between said drive means and cam shaft to provide said second drive ratio, and selector switch means having one selective position for selectively electrically connecting said electrical operating means to said water electrical control and circuit means for coincidental energization during water filling, and having another selective position for prevent ing the effective operation of said electrical operating means to render said first gearing effective during water filling.

4. An automatic washing machine control system including timing drive means, water electrical control and circuit means for controlling water filling, agitating electrical control and circuit means for controlling agitating, drying electrical control and circuit means for controlling drying, switch means operably connected to and operated by said timing drive means for individually energizing said electrical control means at various times for various periods to control the initial fill and initial agitating and initial drying periods and rinse fill and rinse agitating and final drying periods, first speed-reducing transmission means connecting said drive means and said switch means in a first drive ratio, second higher speed speed-reducing transmission means connecting said drive means and said switch means in a second higher drive ratio, electrical operating means for rendering said second transmission means effective and said first transmission means ineffective, selective control means effective in one selective arrangement for energizing said electrical operating means in response to one of said switch means for operatively connecting said second transmission means between said drive means and said switch means to reduce the duration of one period and responsive to other of said switch means for effectively preventing the energization of said electrical operating means for operatively connecting said first transmission means between said drive means and said switch means for normal duration of the other periods, said selective control means being effective in a second selective arrangement for energizing said electrical operating means in response to another of said switch means for operatively connecting said second transmission means between said drive means and said switch means to reduce the duration of another period and responsive to other of said switch means for operatively connecting said first transmission means between said drive means and said switch means to provide for normal duration of the other periods.

5. An automatic control system including timing drive means, first electrical control and circuit means providing a first function, second electrical control and circuit means providing a second function, third electrical control and circuit means providing a third function, switch means operably connected to and operated by said timing drive means for individually energizing said electrical control means consecutively in two successive cycles at various times for various periods to provide two consecutive cycles of the first and second and third functions, speed reducing transmission means connecting said drive means and said switch means in-a first drive ratio, second higher speed speed-reducing transmission means connecting said drive means and said switch means in a second higher drive ratio, electrical operating means for rendering said second transmission means effective and said first transmission means ineffective, selective control means eifective in one selective arrangement for energizing said electrical operating means in response to one of said electrical control means effecting one of said functions for operatively connecting said second transmission means between said drive means and said switch means to reduce the duration of said one period and responsive to the control means effecting the other functions for elfectively deenergizing said electrical operating means for operatively connecting said first transmission means between said drive means and said switch means for normal duration of the other periods, said selective control means being etfective in a second selective arrangement for energizing said electrical operating means in response to one of said electrical control means efiecting another of said functions for operatively connecting said second transmission means between said drive means and said switch means to reduce the duration of said another function and responsive to the control means effecting other of said functions for operatively connecting said first transmission means between said drive means and said switch means to provide for normal duration of means, first electrical control and circuit means providing a first function, second electrical control and circuit means providing a second function, third electrical control and circuit means providing a third function, a cam shaft provided with cam means, switch means individually operated by said cam means for individually energizing said first and second and third electrical control and circuit means consecutively in two consecutive cycles to provide two consecutive cycles of the first and second and third functions, first speed reducing gearing connecting said drive means and said cam shaft in a first drive ratio, second gearing providing a second higher speed speed-reducing drive ratio different than said first drive ratio for operating said cam shaft at a higher rate, electrical operating means for operatively connecting said second gearing between said drive means and said cam shaft to provide said second drive ratio, and selector switch means having one selective position for selectively electrically connecting said electrical operating means to said first electrical control and circuit means for coincidental energization during said first function and having another selective position for preventing the eifective op eration of said electrical operating means to render said first gearing effective during said first function.

7. An automatic control system including a timing drive means, a first electrical means for controlling a first function, a second electrical means for controlling a second function, third electrical means for controlling a third function, fourth electrical means for controlling a fourth function, switch means operably connected to and operated by said timing drive means for individually energizing said first and second and third and fourth electrical means for predetermined timed periods, means for alternately repeatedly energizing said first and second electrical means under the control of said switch means, and

7 means responsive only to the energization of said first electrical means for changing the timed periods of said switch means only during the energization of said first electrical means.

8. An automatic washing machine control system including a first switch means for controlling the initial fill, a second switch means for controlling the rinse fill, third switch means for controlling agitation, fourth switch means for controlling drying, timing drive means for controlling said switch means in timed periods, electrical hot water control means, electrical cold water control means, means etfectively controlled by said second switch means for alternately energizing said cold and hot water control means, and means effectively controlled by said first switch means for changing the timed period of said first switch means, and selective means for placing said alternate energization of said cold and hot wator control means under the control of said first switch means.

9. An automatic washing machine control system including a first switch means for controlling the initial fill, a second switch means for controlling the rinse fill, third switch means for controlling agitation, fourth switch means for controlling drying, timing drive means for eontrolling said switch means in timed periods, electrical hot water control means, electrical cold water control means, means effectively controlled by said second switch means for alternately energizing said cold and hot water control means, and means effectively controlled by said second switch means for changing the timed period of said second switch means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,227,133 Hall Dec. 31, 1940 2,391,718 Lindemann Dec. 25, 1945 2,549,025 Sisson Apr. 17, 1951 2,608,252 Candor Aug. 26, 1952 2,618,141 Clark Nov. 18, 1952 2,748,585 Sisson June 5, 1956 

